Titus Herman and Vice Admiral Joseph Maguire U.S. Navy (Ret.) Photography by Wendy Dewhurst-Clark.
See gallery from Paws for Patriots Luncheon.
As four Southeastern Guide Dog "Paws for Patriots" puppies stood at attention (well, almost), MacDill's Volunteer Puppy Raising Area Coordinator Carole Adamczyk recited the Paws for Patriots Puppy Creed, a doggie version of the official United States Air Force "Airman's Creed," which was simultaneously recited by Lt. Col. John Schwartz.
Parts of it went something like this: "I am a Paws for Patriots puppy ... I am a friend ... A leader in the dark ... A shelter in the storm ... And a comfort to the wounded ... I will never leave my hero behind ... I will not fail."
It was all part of a ceremony in front of 150 guests at Palma Ceia Country Club in Tampa to launch the MacDill Puppy Raiser Group. The dogs raised by this group will be earmarked for Paws for Patriot careers, serving veterans in a variety of ways. MacDill puppy raisers must be affiliated with the U.S. military or their family members.
Seen at the event were Harris and Micheline Silverman, Mike Jernigan and his recently retired guide dog, Brittany, Tracy Willis, Bob Clark, Fran Levinson Elaine Newman, Tom and Laurie Teimer, Marjorie Singer, Andy Kramer, Renee Hamad and Suzette Lodge, among others.
Chief Executive Officer Titus Herman welcomed guests, calling the occasion "an historic moment for our Paws for Patriots program. How might all these paws serve our patriots?" he asked. "They might be a guide dog, like Brittany, or a service dog, like Foley, or a facility therapy dog for men and women recovering from injuries far from home, or an emotional support dog."
First guest speaker was Bobby Newman (with his ambassador dog, Jeannie), co-founder of the Paws for Patriots program. He called the day a "milestone" and noted that the Paws for Patriots program is now "a major part of the mission at Southeastern Guide dogs.
"These four-legged friends do more to mitigate the effects of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) better than any pharmaceutical ever invented," he said.
Next up was Vice Admiral Joseph Maguire U.S. Navy (Ret.). Maguire, who was commander of the Navy Seals from 2004-2007, said he saw a lot of traumatic injuries and loss of life in both Afghanistan and Iraq during his years as a commanding officer, adding "Nobody goes to war and does not get wounded.
"The Veterans Administration does a wonderful job in dealing with physical wounds. There's a big gap between that and dealing with blindness and emotional wounds. That's where we need to step in," he said, and support programs like Paws for Patriots.
Col. Daniel H. Tulley then led the ceremony, welcoming his four new "recruits," with their tails wagging, into the service.
Following lunch, Morgan Watt and his Paws for Patriots dog, Foley, took center stage. Watt was a military working dog handler with the Air Force during the first Gulf War.
Two years ago, he became sick with symptoms that included migraine headaches with vertigo, anxiety and depression. "Foley calms me when I'm anxious, alerts me when a migraine is coming on and is even trained to retrieve my medication if I can't get to it," he said. "He's made a huge difference in my life," he added. "Foley stands watch day and night. When Foley takes a deep breath, I take one. When Foley stretches, I stretch. I trust his senses. I know he has my back."
